Obituaries

Acosta

Jose Campos Acosta was called to his heavenly home on Tuesday, March 20, after a brave fight with cancer.

He was born January 9, 1925 in Marfa to Augustin and Maria Acosta. He was a retired mechanic, who loved music and traveling and visiting with his children.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Juanita Acosta of Marfa, a daughter Gloria Razo of Grand Prairie, sons Jose Acosta Jr. and wife Lorina also of Grand Prairie, Oscar Acosta and wife Lourdes of El Paso, and Jaime Acosta of Dallas. He had 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Elias Acosta and sister Ceila Acosta, and two grandsons.

Services will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marfa, a rosary will be recited on Friday, March 23, at 7 p.m., and the Mass of Resurrection will be Saturday at 10 a.m. with Father Miguel Alcuino officiating. Burial will follow at the Catholic Cemetery under direction of Geeslin Funeral Home of Alpine.

Fletcher

Elizabeth Lee Ponder Fletcher, 64, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones in Dallas on September 23, 2006. She had struggled with a debilitating case of multiple sclerosis for over twenty years. Ms. Fletcher, or Libby, was the scion of prominent, civically active west Texas families. Libby's mother, Winifred Kennedy Ponder served as president of the Junior League of El Paso and lead many other civic organizations. She owned and managed her family cattle ranch in a triangle formed by the towns of Ft. Davis, Alpine, and Marfa. Libby’s grandmother, Winifred Wilson Kennedy Lewis, operated the ranch from 1918 when she was widowed in the flu epidemic to 1947 when the ranch was divided between her children, Pete Kennedy and Winifred Kennedy Ponder.

Libby’s father, Dan R. Ponder, was the youngest mayor elected to date in 1947 in El Paso. He also was an executive officer of R.E. McKee Construction Company serving as construction supervisor on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico from 1942 to 1945 reporting to General Groves. Mr. Ponder also served as chair of the El Paso Museum of Art bringing the Kress Collection to the El Paso, was named Man of the year by the National Council of Christian and Jews, the El Paso Board of Realtors and many other civic groups. He served on many boards including the Hockaday School.

Libby grew up in El Paso and graduated from the Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas in 1960. She attended Hollins College in Virginia and the University of Arizona. She graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a B. A. in Philosophy. Libby is survived by daughter Catherine Fletcher Fortin and her husband Tom, and three grandchildren, Andrew, Betsy, and Matthew. She is also survived by a son Frank Barron Fletcher III, his wife Rebecca, and their children Claire and Barron IV. Survivors also include former husband, Frank Barron Fletcher Jr. of El Paso, her sister Anne Ponder Boyd and husband Dr. Charles M. Boyd of Dallas and the Ponder Ranch in Jeff Davis County and niece Stephanie Dickson Embrey, her daughter Grace Embrey, and nephew Robert Kennedy Dickson of Breckenridge, Colorado and his wife Andrea.

Libby was a dedicated mother who inspired, supported, and furthered the education and avocations of her children, Barron III and Catherine. She instilled in them the importance of committing oneself to higher education and athletic and artistic endeavors. Libby will be remembered and cherished as an accomplished, creative, and engaging individual and friend. She welcomed a diverse, dynamic group of people into her life without social pretension, and her loyalty to her family was constant and true. She was a passionate music lover and musician, who performed with several southwestern classical quartets and trios on the piano. She volunteered for the El Paso Symphony Orchestra where she had established many personal connections, and she was also an avid balletomane, attending performances both in New York City and those of Ballet El Paso. Libby brought the sophistication and humor of Broadway musicals and reviews to the El Paso Junior League Follies, where she set and choreographed dance numbers. She also brought her innovative talents as an amateur interior designer to a Decorator's Show-house benefiting El Paso charities. Her wit, innovation, wry observations, and humor live on. A memorial service was held in El Paso September 30, 2006 featuring a string quartet. Her ashes were scattered at the Ponder Ranch last weekend. Memorial contributions can be made to the Southwestern Medical Foundation for the Elizabeth Ponder Fletcher Fund for Multiple Sclerosis Research, P.O. Box 910888 Dallas, Texas 75391-0888, Faith Hospice, 6100 Colwell Blvd. #225, Irving, Texas 75039 and the Marfa Public Library.

Ramos

Natividad Victorino Ramos, 79, died Saturday, March 17, 2007 in Odessa.

Mrs. Ramos was born August 28, 1927 in Terlingua. She married Toribio B. Ramos on April 26, 1952 in Marathon.

Rosary was held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Alpine.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. today, March 22, 2007, at Our Lady of Peace. Father Miguel Alcuino will officiate. Burial will follow at Holy Angel Cemetery.

Mrs. Ramos was preceded in death by her parents, Jesus Victorino and Romana Polanco; brothers Marcos Victorino and Jesus Victorino; sisters Manuela Yniguez, Francisca Cataño and Tila Cedillios.

Survivors include her husband, Toribio B. Ramos of Alpine; sons Toribio Ramos Jr. and Toribio C. Ramos both of Alpine; daughters Felicita Vega, Laura West, Guadalupe V. Garcia and Claudia R. Ramos all of Alpine; Christina Ramos of Houston and Wendy Ramos of Oak Harbor, Washington; brother Benacio Victorino of San Jose, California; sister Dorothea Victorino of Zaragosa; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are by Memorial Funeral Home of Fort Stockton.

Shurley

SONORA — Ranch woman Ruth T. Shurley, 95, (Mrs. E.D.) née Ruth Loretta Tipton, from Jacksonville, Texas, died on Tuesday, March 13, in Eldorado.

Her memorial service was at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Sonora First United Methodist Church.

Sonora had been home to Ruth since her first teaching job at Sonora’s Old Rock School Building in the 1932-33 school year.

Ruth was born on February 1, 1912, in Mount Enterprise, Texas, attended Jacksonville schools, including Lon Morris College, and graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown. Able to sing, play the piano and the organ, Ruth taught music and elementary classes, joined the Methodist Church, and was a 1933 charter member of the Sonora Music Club and the third president.

At that time, married women were not allowed to teach in the public schools, so after a Methodist choir practice romance and marrying rancher E.D. Shurley, the widowed father of Billy Riffe Shurley, one of her students, and beginning life with them at the ranch, Ruth opened a private kindergarten. Dr. King Vivion, president of Southwestern University, officiated at their Jacksonville wedding ceremony on Jan. 6, 1935.

Ruth taught an adult Sunday school class for 45 years, and in the 1950s, with daughter Derry Kay attending school, Ruth and Ed began a 30-year fall tradition of hosting a ranch barbecue and potluck supper for the public school staffs. Ruth loved attending Sonora Bronco games.

She wanted her hands to be busy and tried her hand at sculpting, oil painting, furniture refinishing, and metal and needle crafts. She adored sunrises, moon rises and sunsets. Ruth enjoyed playing bridge, swimming and yard work. Ruth wanted people to have fun. She enjoyed giving dinner parties and making gifts of angel-food cakes and peanut brittle. The Ruth Shurley Jewelry became the career love of her life from 1959 to 1979.

Ruth delighted in traveling on business for the ranch and the store. Trips included South Africa, China and the Holy Lands. Ruth’s advice was, “Never pass up an opportunity to take a trip.”

Ruth adored mohair goats, and the shearing floor at the barn is patterned after one she saw in Australia.

Sadly, Ruth became a widow in 1963, at which point she took up the reins at the Shurley Ranch.

She often accepted Sonora club leadership positions and became a Methodist Lay Speaker. Her favorite volunteer efforts were helping The Bank and Trust distribute Life Line phones and, later, taking church bulletins to homebound parishioners until she was 89.

Mrs. Shurley’s affiliations include the First United Methodist Church of Sonora, the Sonora Lions Club, the Sonora Chamber of Commerce, two bridge clubs that evolved from the 1930s, the American Meat Goat Association, the Independent Cattleman’s Association of Texas, the Literacy Council of Tom Green County, Hospice of San Angelo Inc., and the San Angelo Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta.

Ruth T. Shurley is survived by Derry Kay Bosch, and by Billie Riffe Shurley and wife Louellen; and her grandchildren, who affectionately called her “Mimi.” They are Alison Bosch, Bridget Adell and husband Matt, Michael Bryant Shurley and wife Suzanne and their four adult children, Patricia Bodenhamer and husband Lee and their two children, and Rachael Nixon and husband Gene and their three adult children. There are Shurley great-great-grandchildren; plus nieces and nephews who descend the Shurley brothers: Eric, Ira, Merton, Collier and their half-brothers, Gene and Jerry. Surviving Tipton nieces and a nephew are Patricia Carol and husband Don Wilcox, Hilde Kathleen Tipton and husband David Lark, and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Franklin Weaver Jr. and wife Chris.

Preceding Ruth Tipton Shurley in death were her husband, Edgar Derry Shurley; her parents, Edward Baxter and Margaret Hodnett Tipton; and her siblings, Lois Tipton, Margaret Elizabeth Weaver and husband William Franklin Sr., Edward Baxter Tipton Jr. and wife Gertrude, and Ralph Linebaugh Tipton and wife Ella.

Ruth’s family extends her appreciation to the many friends and professionals who assisted her through the years. They encourage charitable donations in memory of Ruth T. Shurley to churches, for elder care and to Ruth’s most recent caregivers, Hospice of San Angelo, the Schleicher County Nursing Home and Hospital, and the Schleicher County Hospital Auxiliary.